This invention relates to a small hand tool used to assist in opening and closing the buckle assembly of boots such as ski boots. One of the typical buckle assemblies consists of a wire loop pivotably mounted on the flap on one side of the opening in a boot and a tongue-like clamping member pivotably mounted on the flap on the other side of the boot opening. The bottom face of the clamping member is provided with a series of notches along its length which serve to selectively engage the wire loop. When the clamping member is pivoted into its closed position the two flaps are drawn toward each other under tension and the boot is tightened about the foot. In general, each boot has a plurality of such buckle assemblies.
Another buckle assembly similarly uses a slightly curved clamping member pivotably mounted on one of the flaps of the boot opening. Attached to the opposite flap is an eye-bolt provided with an adjustment nut. The clamping member is linked to the eye-bolt by means of a hook member. Tension adjustment is provided through the adjustment nut rather than by selection of one of the notches on the clamping member of the other type of buckle.
Skiers, or such, often experience difficulty in opening or closing a buckle in the cold, particularly on the slopes, because of accumulation of ice or snow on the buckle assembly and because the plastics of which the boots are molded, stiffen and tend to contract in the cold, further tightening the buckle. The clamp members of the buckles, being relatively short, do not afford good leverage and are difficult to operate in the cold, particularly since the hands tend to be stiff.